Policy Reforms and Rural Livelihoods Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities — Empirical Evidence from the Adoption of the Land Use Consolidation (LUC) Policy in Rwanda

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, descriptive statistics are used to calculate how households in Rwanda that are participating in the Land Use Consolidation (LUC) programme acquire food. Pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) is mobilized to quantify the effect of LUC outcomes on food security at household level. A Lorenz curve and Gini index are used to calculate how household income is distributed among households in the LUC programme. Finally, a probit regression model is applied to identify factors that determine a household's level of satisfaction with LUC. First, this study suggests that the majority of households participating in LUC have an acceptable food consumption score (FCS). Second, it shows that such households are more reliant on the market for food acquisition. Third, the study estimates the elasticity of crop yield, extension services and expenditure on food items on a household's FCS to be about 46 per cent, 26 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Fourth, it demonstrates that income from agricultural production is distributed less equitably among LUC households. Finally, it shows that the majority of households participating in LUC are highly satisfied with the programme and that households headed by females are likely to be more satisfied with LUC adoption than those headed by males.